Concrete retaining walls in Waldorf MD - built to hold your slope and drain the water
A slope washing out or an old wall starting to lean? We build concrete walls with the footing, steel and drainage planned first.
What a concrete retaining wall gives you
A concrete retaining wall holds back soil where your yard drops away, often to level ground for a patio or a concrete pool deck, and the drainage behind it keeps water from pushing on the wall. When an old wall leans or cracks, trapped water usually played a part. We build them in Waldorf and across Charles and Prince George's counties.
Price moves with the wall's length and height, the digging and drainage it needs and how easy the spot is to reach. Weather and permits set the schedule, and our written estimate spells out what's included.
What goes into a concrete retaining wall
A wall is only as good as the parts you can't see once the soil goes back, so here's what each job includes.
Footing
The footing is the wide concrete base under the wall, and it's what keeps the wall from tipping or sliding. We dig it out to firm ground, not loose fill.
Steel rebar
The steel rebar set in the footing and wall holds the concrete together as the soil pushes against it, and its size and spacing come from the design.
Drainage
Drainage goes in behind the wall as we build it, so water soaking into the slope has a way out instead of piling pressure against the concrete.
Backfill
We put the soil back in layers only after the concrete has cured enough to take the load, using equipment that won't shove the young wall sideways.
Tell us about your wall
Send photos of the slope and any driveway plans, or call. We reply within one business day to set up a free, no-obligation estimate at your property.
(240) 213-7379How we plan your retaining wall
I start a retaining wall like the concrete floors we install, with the ground and the water, because in 13 years of business that's where I've seen most trouble start.
- I see every job myself. I come out to look at every job and write your estimate myself, so the person pricing the wall is the one who saw it.
- A price tied to a design. Height alone doesn't tell you how to build a wall, so your estimate says which written design or code our price follows.
- Your plans for the yard. Tell us about any driveway, new fill or runoff headed near the wall, because each one can throw off the design.
- Paperwork you can check. We're fully licensed and insured, and you can ask to see both when I come out for the estimate.
- Start with a call. Call (240) 213-7379 or use our estimate form, and I'll come walk the slope with you.
Where Advantage Waldorf Concrete works
Advantage Waldorf Concrete is based in Waldorf and works in La Plata, Brandywine and the cities around them. If your city isn't on the list, give us a call at (240) 213-7379.
How your wall gets built
I keep you posted from the first visit to the finished wall, so you know what we're doing at each stage and why.
Site visit
I come out, measure, take photos and ask how you'll use the space above and below the wall, because that shapes the design. I also look at where water runs across your yard now.
Estimate
You get a written estimate that lists what's in it and what isn't, so you can compare it line by line. Before we set a date, we sort out permits and get the utility lines marked.
The build
Our crew builds the wall, and I'm on site to check the base, the forms and the slope before the concrete truck shows up. When it's done, I walk the wall with you and go over its care through the first winter.
Retaining wall questions in Waldorf
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost near Waldorf?
Poured-concrete retaining wall construction in the Washington, DC area usually costs about $50 to $54 per square foot. That's the area's going rate, not our quote, and your wall's size, digging, drainage and access decide your own figure. Our written estimate shows exactly what's included.
Does a retaining wall contractor need a Maryland license?
Yes, Maryland treats installing a retaining wall at a home as home improvement work, so your contractor needs a Maryland Home Improvement License. The state also requires licensed contractors to keep $50,000 in liability insurance in effect at all times. Its Guaranty Fund can compensate a homeowner up to $20,000, or the total paid on the contract, for poor or incomplete work.
What is the best way to drain a concrete retaining wall?
The best setup is clean crushed stone, filter fabric and a perforated drain pipe behind the wall, leading to a clear outlet or weep holes, the small openings through the wall face. It matters because even a moderate rise in groundwater behind a wall can drastically raise the risk of it tipping over or sliding.
How do I find out if my retaining wall needs a permit in Charles County?
Call Charles County's Permit Center at 301-645-0692, or ask for an appointment with the county's planning staff. Where a project needs a sediment and erosion control plan, it has to follow the Charles Soil Conservation District's guidelines. Before we set a date, we check what your project needs and handle the permit side we're responsible for.
Plan your Waldorf yard with us
Call (240) 213-7379 any day from 7 AM to 10 PM, tell us about your slope, and we'll set a time to come look.